1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of internet applications, and more particularly, to social networks and web based applications where users interact.
2. Discussion of Related Art
With the rise in social network usage, and increase interaction between users over the internet, the problem of communicating/interacting with a virtual stranger and finding trustable partners for dating, business or other social goals becomes more and more important. Social networks have a vast potential for creating new relationships between people, but the problems of fake identities and scammers cause distrust and block that potential from achieving full realization.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050197846, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a method and system for generating a proximity index in a social networking environment, in which a first user defines relationships with a plurality of second users by assigning a relationship designator for each connection of a relationship. The first user stores content within the social networking environment and denotes individuals allowed to or prevented from accessing the content by entering one or more proximity thresholds. The social networking environment may generate a proximity index based on a variety of factors. The proximity index may be assigned a particular proximity index grouping depending upon a range in which a proximity index lies. The first user may control access to content and/or allow or prevent the reception and/or display of content from other users based on the other users' proximity index or proximity index grouping with respect to the first user. The user may further order a contact list based on proximity thresholds.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 20060149708, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a search method and system using the same information regarding the structure of information in a content database is maintained in a structure database. The structure database is used to correlate the data structure of a query to the structure of the content database, in order to determine that information in the content database which needs to be provided to a searcher in response to the query. In one embodiment, this search method is used in an online forum, and the forum maintains a reputation score for users with respect to given subject matter. The reputation score is dependent upon the quality of a user's participation in the forum. A user's reputation score depends upon the evaluation by others of information he posts and upon the user evaluating information posted by others.